Image stabilizing systems for preventing and/or correcting blurring when video images are captured and replayed are known, a distinction being made in this case between optical, mechanical and electronic image stabilizing systems. In the case of optical image stabilizing systems optical elements, for example prisms or lenses, or else the image sensor of the video camera, are moved in order to equalize movements which would result in blurring. Mechanical image stabilizing systems mostly use costly mechanical arrangements, for example in the form of a steadicam, in order to stabilize the position of the video camera. Electronic image stabilizing systems are frequently based on an automatic increase in sensitivity of the image sensor. Shorter exposure times are consequently possible, leading to less blurring of the video images. However, the increased sensitivity results in a deterioration in image quality because of increased image noise and/or the necessary denoising.
In addition, electronic image stabilizing systems are known in which accelerations and/or speeds of the video camera, which result in blurring, are acquired using motion sensors and are corrected by a data processing unit, e.g. a microcontroller. While these methods avoid the use of costly mechanical solutions, a deterioration in image quality as a result of curtailed exposure times or compute-intensive image analysis and correction procedures, they reach their limits if the video camera or the image sensor not only make undesired movements resulting in blurring, but also desired movements, i.e. those deliberately caused. This is the case for example for remote-controlled video cameras on board vehicles or aircraft for object monitoring.
DE 10 2005 029 230 A1 discloses a display device with an image replay facility and an image capturing facility. The image replay facility comprises a display module and the image capturing facility captures an object to be observed and generates corresponding image data. Furthermore, a sensor is provided which acquires a movement of the image capturing facility resulting in a blurred image being captured and generates corresponding movement signals. The image replay facility replays the image by means of the display module on the basis of the image data and of the movement signals in an image-stabilizing manner, such that the user can perceive the image with no blurring. The image replay facility and image capturing facility are here attached to a carrying facility that can be worn on the head of a user. To prevent even desired movements of the head, for example in order to change an image detail being viewed, from being identified as blurring, provision is made for suitable low-pass or band-pass filtering.
It is assumed here that undesired movements always result in higher-frequency output signals from a motion sensor system, but this is not always the case. Additional components are may also be necessary to effect the filtering.